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Funds will help promote locally grown foods

As part of the $101 million in grants announced Monday for specialty crop growers by Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Illinois Department of Agriculture will receive nearly $634,000.  Acting Director of Agriculture Bob Flider says the agency will split the funds between 12 projects intended to expand the availability of fresh, locally-grown produce and strengthen the state’s specialty crop industry.

Illinois is the largest producer of pumpkins and horseradish in the nation and ranks in the top ten states in the production of other specialty crops such as asparagus, cauliflower, green peas, and lima beans.  The state devotes more than 117,000 acres of farmland to growing specialty crops, which produces nearly $137 million in sales for Illinois farmers. 

 

A list of the grant recipients and a brief description of their projects follows:

  • Partner with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to enhance the safety of locally-grown produce by assessing the microbial profiles on produce from farmers’ markets and recommending handling practices that minimize the risk of microbial contamination. 
  • Partner with The Land Connection to implement a social media campaign that uses blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other online interactions to educate consumers about Illinois specialty crop growers. 
  • Partner with the CBS Community Partnership Division to provide a targeted multimedia campaign that focuses on the importance and availability of locally-grown specialty crops. 
  • Partner with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance to create a marketing campaign to promote local specialty crops to local restaurants and develop new resources for farms to better understand regulatory requirements. 
  • Work with Illinois grocers and farmers’ markets to implement a marketing campaign for Illinois specialty crops through the “Illinois Where Fresh is…” buy local program. 
  • Partner with the Illinois Specialty Growers Association to hold an educational conference that educates Illinois specialty crop growers about current food safety requirements. Matching funds will be utilized to cover expenditures for non-specialty crop commodities. 
  • Partner with the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association to teach best management practices to Illinois grape growers through hands-on and online continuing education opportunities. 
  • Partner with Experimental Station to educate low-income urban residents how to grow, prepare and enjoy Illinois specialty crops by providing at-market, in-school, after-school and summer educational programming. Matching funds will be utilized to cover expenditures for non-specialty crop commodities.
     
  • Partner with the Gary Comer Youth Center to provide urban youth with additional education on the nutritional value of specialty crops and the opportunity to participate in urban agriculture through the development of a youth-managed, roof-top farm.

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